Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-07-02

a savage instinct unworthy a woman but il
was mine. I have loved TO distress, and
distrusted thems but now"
Nov, the voice was very winning and
sweet, my own love, my wounded, white
| souled darling, come, ind refuge on my
heart. Let me atone for every heart ache.
Heaven helping me you shall never regret
it. viii be so tender, so good too you.
With infinite sadness she shook her head.
II can be no mans wife, she said,
solemnly. 81 do not doubt you now, believe
me. honor you above all other men. ]
owe you my life 1 VII be your friend if
| you wish; never more.
He reasoned. pleaded, implored, in vain;
she was sWeety winning, her eyes held a
new soft gentlenesss but she was inhexible
I as a rock.
He kissed her hand as he held it in fai e.
! we'll, saying reVerently:
sGod bless you for your confidence.
Dear little friend, if can ever serve you,
I shall be ready when you call me, and
with her last memory of him pale, weary,
with his arm, broken in her service, in a
sling. he was gone.
Two years had slipped away. "Island
Home" was again rhrOnged with guests;
risen Phoenix like from its ashes, it was
/ more beautiful than ever the gayety of the
/ season was at its height, and wilma
Darlington moved among her old as
! sociates, as bright star IN the social hrma-
ment as ever. A gentle warmth that en-
deared her to all hearts replaced her former
iciness or manner. 5he seemed 20 nave
| learned the lesson OF faith in humanity,
without which life is barren and miser-
able, but her answer to all suitOrs was the
same.
81 shall never marry"
Yet as she clmed Promontory Rock TO
watch the incoming waves and the golden
fame of sunset that night, every nook in
the beautiful summer resort brought a
rush OF memories Of the happiest time in
her life, and with an increasing sense Of
loss her longing to look upon the face o.
her one soul friend and companion grew
to a heart-sick pain that caused her to
shrink back, crushed with shame and
fear.
II must go home, " she said, at last, her
white, still fnce unutterably sad. at is
growing dark, but even as she rose TO her
feet her cheek blanehed to the hue of
death, her fatal abstraction, how could she
have been so careless she asked herself.
The waves had risen till every avenue
| of escape was cut OF. Ina few hours the
/ creeping, cruel sea would sweep her from
her fruil foothold out into the world Of
waters.
"Oh, it was hard! Life was sweet after all,
hard as she had found it. Darkness settled
like pail about her, tie mist of approach
ing rain fell upon her, dreary death stared
her in the face. The thought of the tender
love she had sighted was ever with her,
and the cold, merciless water came
steadily on, and the dashing sea-
spray drenched her slight, qUaking
form. Once she cried aloud, but
only the moan of the waves answered her.
At last she crOuched against the icy rocks
and waited, despairing.
Il love you, she cried; Gin Heaven you
will know"
@Harkl A shout, a distant CLEAN Of
| lights through the mist and darkness.
! Nearer came the little bark, over the toss
| ing water, to the perilous rocks. Once
| she heard her name, as she drlfted into I'M
| consciousness, then she found herself in
| the rocking boat, folded TO the heart Of
/ Leslie Murdoch.
| "My own, he was saying, as he sheltered
/ her shivering form, Il was coming back to
| you, could not stay away, and o, to find
| you thus"
His voice broke, the wet, clinging arms
/ about his neck unnamed him.
! "Once by fire, once by food" he cried.
/ ., my love, my love, you are miner"
| "FOreVer!"
Her trustful whisper was in his ear; her
passionate, confding touch never faltered
| in the darkness, and as Leslie Murdoch
/ kissed in speechless rapture the coveted
lips that so fondly met his own, he felt
that the joys Of a life were crowded into
that brief instant.
There with the tOiling fisherman bring
ing them to land; amid inlIy blackness OF
storm and night, the silver tangle Of angry
lightning and the ominOus rumble Of thun.
der borne over murky waves close to the
heart so long her own Wilma Fontaine
Darlington felt the bitter memories OF
years drift away, and the morning of peace
daWned for her, after the long night Of sOr-
row and pain.